Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-02-22
ruE TWENTY-sECOND.


lar Old-Time Turnout.
The twenty second of February, peculiar.
" Virginia holiday, and for so long time
gala day in old Alexandria, was cele-
brated this time with more than the usual
zeal, and from all that has been seen and
heard to the entire satisfaction of both par
Elephants and spectators. Preparations for
the due observance of the occasion, the an
niversary of the birth of the immortal Wash.
ington, have been in progress for the
past two months, and the citizens
committee to whom was entrusted the task
of waiting upon the people for contributions
toward the desired object have been untir-
ing in their eXertions, aud met with en-
enlargement from nearly all upon whom
they waited. and were not long 10 collecting
an amount approximatlng very closely the
sum desired to make the parade what
il eyentuated ina grand success. The
Gremen, with their wonted energy and
pride in the matter, have, too, been busy in
making their preparations, and the appear
ancs of the different apparatus, as well as
themselves individually, clothed in the par
aphernalia of their respective companies,
proved conclusively that their tolls and
painstaking had not been futile. The MIN.
BILE fingers of the lady friends of the lire
department had been by no means idle,
while their ingenious brains, too, had been
taxed to no slight degree in designing and
arranging decorations for the glittering
steamer and the magnifce new hook aud
ladder truck, which to day, for the FIRST
time added TO the splendor of twenty
second of February pageant. The military
never appeared to better advantage, and
their soldierly bearing to-day proved that
their lessons in tactics had been we'll
| learned
At the outset we referred to the twenty
second as Virgiaia holiday aud for long
time regarded as Alexandria's gala day.
These thoughts should have asdeeper root
in our souls than is sometimes manifest.
In these days, when the population has
been increased to over fifty millions of
souls and when new suns are continually
rising only to be eclipsedby others following
| n their wake whom Fortune Tor Chance as
the late Mr.. Greeley believed,) causes TO
! flicker for moment-there 10 danger OF
growing apathy towards the memory.o of ac-
| tuaI heroes--heroes who rocked the cradle
Of the republic and through whose self abne,
CATION, tolls, dangers and by the shedding OF
whose blood we enjoy the blessings OF tree
government and have our lot cast In land
where every man can worship his Creator
under his own vine and fig tree, and that
too, in whatsoever mode his conscience or
predictions may dictate Now while there
wers many heroes during the days when
this infant confederation struggled against
George III. and the iron heel of Britain,
| the name of GEORGE WASHINGTON certainly
shines forth with preeminent lustre-the
name which should and generally does send
q thrill through every patriotic man
| throughout our vast domain, more especial
" in Virginians, among whom he was
a fellow. citizen, sharing in all their trou-
bles, though called upon to pay the debt OF
nature almost before the fruits Of his great
mission in life ripened into the maturity
which later generations have both witnessed
and enjoyed But while every man calling
himselfa citizen of the country should re.
we're the memory of Washington, what feel
ings should we'll up in the breasts of Atet
andrians, when the anniversary of his birth
recurs, among whom the illustrious soldier
aud statesman mingled daily-in whose
streets he trod, from whose postotlice he re-
ceived his mail, in whose lodge room be
sat in "the east" in whose market house
ne was 80 often met, in whose
church he worshipped, and with
whose people he held familiar converse
Should there be an apathetic soul in cur
midst when the anniversary of his birth rolls
round? No; its due observance should be
as obligatory upon US as though 1t were a
law of the Modes and Persans.
Two occurrences, however, have been al
lowed to pass upobserved, the last celebra-
ton of the day having been in 1881. The
twenty third of the subsequent year was the
time set for unwilling the Washington mon
ument, which event, of course, engrossed so
much attention that no attempt was made
to observe the day here, and last year it was
also allowed to come and go unheeded.
This time, however, the idea of celebrating
the day soon evolved into fixed purpose,
and ali classes have We'd to make it q sue
cess-a notable sueces5-and their efforts
have been crowned with a full frution Of
all their hopes.
The population ephemeral, of course
has been augmented about one hundred per
cent. All the railroads have run extra
traius to accommodate the influx, while the
steamers on the river have been taxed TO
their greatest capacity in transporting vi4i.
tors to and from the scene Of festivity.
J The number of buildings decorated with
| aars. festoons, &C., seemed much larger
than on any previous twenty second, and in
many cases the bunting was strung across
streets. Alexandria, in short, put on her
holiday attire, and never did she show of to
better advantage. The younger generation,
in whose lives such occasions form epochs,
were thrile, with delight, and by their ge5-
lures and happy countenances were calcu
lated to impress one with the belief that
their cup of joy, transitory though it be,
was nearly if not up to the brim.
The final preparations for the grand pa,
geant were In progress all the morning. aud
by the time the hour arrived for forming the
procession it seemed that nothing had been
forgotten and all were ready for the carni-
val.
The morning opened dark and lowering,
but as the day progressed the clouds broke
and the sun shone out in bright etiulgenee,
and the remainder of the day was beautiful.
The Chief Marshal, Mr.. D. A. Windsor,